The invention relates to a cleaning diffuser for a fluff-laden component, in particular in a domestic appliance for caring for articles of laundry, the diffuser being a substantial component of a rinsing arrangement by means of which rinsing fluid can be fed to the component in order to remove the fluff, the diffuser being disposed above the component and in particular being suitable for distributing the rinsing fluid evenly over the blades of the component in order to detach the fluff and carry it away, it being possible for dynamic pressure to build in the rinsing fluid in the diffuser.
DE 10 2008 041 474 A1 discloses how a component within a process air channel of a domestic drying appliance can be cleaned by means of a rinsing system. The component is preferably an evaporator of a condensing arrangement. A fluff filter over which fluid flows is disposed in front of the evaporator. However, the blades of the evaporator and/or of the component itself are not directly rinsed. Rinsing processes are used in which a process air fan is installed at intervals in order that components behind the point for which targeted rinsing is provided can also be cleaned.
The cleaning device according to DE 10 2007 060 854 A1 for a fluff-laden component in a domestic appliance constitutes a very effective solution for enabling internal parts of the component such as blades to be cleaned, or rinsed, in a targeted way, whereby a flow element, hereafter also referred to as a diffuser, is disposed, or detachably mounted, above the component. The diffuser has a slit-like or slot-like opening, oriented toward the component, out of which the cleaning fluid can flow, and in particular in such a way that such cleaning fluid can flow out at a steady rate over the entire longitudinal extent of the slot-like opening, which is adapted to the dimension requirements of the component. This is only possible because the diffuser has an internal structure such as a cross-sectional constriction in order to generate dynamic pressure in the cleaning fluid. Although the diffuser according to DE 10 2007 060 854 A1 is outstandingly suited to achieving the desired cleaning effect for the fluff-laden component, which may be a heat exchanger, it should be regarded as less favorable that the known diffuser mounted on the component such as the heat exchanger or the evaporator of a heat pump in the process air channel of a domestic appliance such as a dryer, or washer-dryer, takes up too much room, particularly as regards its height dimension, that is to say in a direction extending parallel to the vertical direction of the domestic appliance in its operating position.